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“I didn’t know you’d actually abandon me with him.” He looks at me, “Bradley is a new Alpha Xi member. He’s always talking about his family’s bee farm. Sam didn’t want to give him a spot, but being ‘too passionate about bees’ isn’t a good enough reason to refuse him one.”

The laughter that escapes me is borderline unattractive, but I can’t help it. That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.

We make our way over to a firepit, but there’s no more seats, so we venture out further. We end up in a solitary spot behind a tree and sit down in a circle. We’re pretty far away from the party now, the music blaring inside seeming much quieter with the distance.

“Hey, Stacia,” Ciro says, and I crack an eye at him as I cross my legs. He pulls out a cigarette holder, silver and compact. As he opens it, I think he’s about to offer me one, but instead he pulls out something that I recognize all too well.

“Is that what I think it is?” I ask, my eyes wide with excitement. I realize too late that I must look panicked, because Ciro’s own eyes widen in horror.

“Oh fuck, you don’t like weed, do you? Shit, let me put it away.” He goes to put it back in the casing frantically, but I snatch it out of his hand before he can.

“No, silly.” I inspect it and give the joint a sniff, loving the familiar scent that wafts through the paper. “I absolutely love smoking. I just haven’t done it in a while. Maybe since the night I met you, actually.”

The frantic look falls away and only leaves behind a grin. “So… you want to smoke with me?”

There’s a small amount of emotion peeking through when I remember how Derek reacted to weed. But now, here’s this enthusiastic beta who wants to smoke with me. It’s what I always wanted in a partner, someone who likes what I like.

I put out my hand. He knows without me asking, and sticks his lighter in my open palm. I look at it and grin, seeing the Sagittarian symbol in the middle.

I put the joint in between my lips and light it, inhaling the contents as a beautiful dose of smoke invades my lungs. The sigh that follows is one of sincere contentment. I hand the joint back to Ciro before looking over at our blond alpha.

“Do you smoke?” I ask with a tilt of my head.

He shakes his head. “I did in high school, but not since being on the team. We can get drug tested whenever, so it’s better to not risk it.”

I try to imagine a younger Kendall, spending his days more carefree and wild than he does now.

“You and Atlas grew up together.” I remember that tidbit, so I offer it as a statement. “Was Atlas the same?”

“No. I’m sure in another life he would have partaken, but hockey is so important to him, even back then. I’ve never thought about going pro, by graduation I’ll have skated my fill.”

Ciro hands me the joint back. “Derek didn’t like that I smoked. He said I was already too much of an airhead.”

I remembered being distraught and caught off guard.

Now, almost five months after that horrible night, I have so many memories of him saying similar things that they all blur together.

It never surprised me anymore, like he was desensitizing me.

For what purpose, I’m not really sure. But the insults came and went, just like the days between them.

I hand Ciro the joint back just as he goes to speak. “First off, you’re not airheaded at all.” He hit the joint. “Second, he just keeps getting worse than we thought. I’m sorry he ever made you feel like that.”

I just shrug, but Kendall protests. I didn’t notice before, but his anger is palpable. “ No . Seriously, Stacia. He should never have said that. And he shouldn’t judge you for what you decide to do in your free time.”

I think about the other drugs I’ve done, and his judgement of those.

They felt more like a rebellious action.

It excited me to know he didn’t approve of my trips.

Not to mention, it started to help me more as he found more unique ways to berate me.

That’s something I haven’t admitted to anyone.

That if I was off getting high or tripping, I didn’t have to think about the disaster that was my relationship.

I didn’t have to deal with it, and that was very welcoming at the time.

I swallow audibly. “So you don’t think using drugs is bad?”

“Here’s what I personally think,” Ciro starts, “I think weed is perfectly fine to consume with the right intention.”

“Intention?”

“Like… I enjoy it, but I also know I can have a good time without it. I’m not smoking it to have a good time. Know what I mean?”

I think about our time on the dance floor, and the night we spent at their house playing charades and never have I ever. I had a wonderful time with both, and I would have had a good time sober, I think.

In fact, I haven’t even been itching to do anything harder than weed since the last time I saw Derek. Maybe there’s a correlation there.

Not that I’ll explain that to them right now. I feel like I’ve already cracked the surface of my broken spots enough for tonight.

I hand the joint back; he hits it before putting it out and stands. “I’m going to get us more drinks. Maybe just steal a bottle.”

“Can we drink it here?” I ask, because I quite like the peace that we’ve created between the three of us in this semi-dark corner.

“You’ve got it. I’ll be right back.”

He leaves us, and I’m left with a beautiful, blond alpha, feeling a lot more floaty and happy than I did a moment ago.

“Will you tell me more about your childhood with Atlas?”

He rests his head against the tree behind him, looking off into space like he could see said childhood all too clearly.

“We both had pretty normal, tame childhoods. We met in the 3rd grade and never really separated after that.” He gives a small laugh.

“He got me into hockey, actually. Kept me out of trouble early on. I had a knack for getting detention and disrupting class. He helped me rein it in. When we were teenagers, we started to suspect we were pack but it wasn’t until we met Uriah and Ciro that the bond clicked all the way. ”

“It’s weird how biology works that way.”

“It is,” he replies. “But what’s even weirder is that we’re all a bit more in tune with each other now after meeting you. It’s like the last piece of the puzzle kind of… nuzzled its way in.”

I find myself blushing, not sure how to respond to that.

It’s intense, the way his words hit me right in my chest. I’m conscious of the fact that he is my scent match, that they are, but a part of me keeps forgetting what that means.

That this could be forever . Because, honestly, it feels too good to be true, and if I let myself believe it, something rotten will find its way to this perfect thing I’m a part of.

And I can’t stand the idea of that happening.

But then one of them looks at me the way Kendall is looking at me right now, and I melt right into the absurdity of it all.

“You and Ciro had fun inside.” Kendall says this as a statement, watching me with a subtle smirk. I lick my lips as I bask in his attention once more.

“It seems like you liked what you saw.” I have absolutely no idea what possesses me to say it, but it’s out before I can think better of it.

“I did. An alluring omega, dancing with my pack mate and having a wonderful time. You two seemed to get… close on that dance floor. And that’s also something I like to see.”

“And why didn’t you join us?”

He chuckles, leaning closer to me. “I was having a good time. Sometimes watching someone beautiful writhe in pleasure is almost as glorious as basking in pleasure yourself.”

My eyes fall to his lips. They look so soft. Gosh, when was the last time I’d been kissed properly? I long for it now.

His face is so close to mine. I feel like there’s a magnet drawing us together, and when he looks down at my own lips, I give in and meet him in the middle.

The kiss is soft, experimental, right before it turns into an intoxicating explosion.

He tilts his head, deepening the kiss, his tongue finding mine in a battle of dominance.

It sends shockwaves down my spine, and I feel the sudden urge to beg for something. Anything.

I just want more .

Climb on his lap and ride him like a bull.

For once, I’m in agreement with my omega.

Before I can second guess the decision, I’m straddling his lap and placing my hands on his shoulders. The second my pussy rubs against something hard, a whine climbs up my throat.

His hands go to grip my hips instinctually. Maybe it has been too long since I’ve been laid because it’s the sexiest thing I’ve ever felt.

“What are you doing, naughty omega?” He smiles in that beautiful sunshine way. I move his hair out of his eyes, and see dazzling green orbs piercing mine.

“I don’t know,” I say honestly, feeling a slight pant and nervousness coming on. “It just… felt right.”

“It always will with us,” he says softly, moving his hand to cradle my face. “We can just sit here, and I will be the happiest alpha in the world.”

My thighs clench at the truth in his words.

But I don’t want to just sit here. I want more, it’s just asking for it that’s hard.

“Stacia.” He must see the conflict on my face because he says my name with such gentle adoration. “Tell me what you need.”

I swallow, but my throat feels especially dry.

“I…” I bite my lip, trying to muster up the courage.

My self-confidence has been lacking the past few years. Even before Derek, it was hard to ask for what I wanted. I don’t want to feel needy or a burden, and I’m starting to realize that it’s because others have conditioned me to feel this way.

“I need… more.” I have forgotten how it feels to be ultimately desired, and a part of me knows that this man will do literally anything to make me feel as such. “Please,” I whimper softly, letting my omega give me courage. “Please touch me, Alpha.”

A satisfied growl reaches my ears before I hear his husky words.

“My pleasure, Omega.”